JP2015514893A - System and method for producing wind energy in the air - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a system comprising a glider (10) and producing power from wind (50), wherein the glider (10) is pitched, rolled and winged (14) and when the glider (10) is in the air. The system comprises a mounted steering means (20, 22, 24) for yawing, a flight control means (64) for operating the steering means (20, 22, 24), and a connection means for the tether (44). The ground station (40) further comprises a reel (42) for the tether (44), a rotating electrical machine (46) connected to the reel (42), a reel (42) and Ground station control means (66) for operating the rotating electrical machine (46), the system further comprising a master control for operating the system alternately in at least two operating modes. Means (62), the first mode of operation of the system is to feed the tether (44) with the lift generated when the wing (14) of the glider (10) in the air is exposed to the wind (50); The second operating mode of the system is equipped to rotate the reel (42) using the rotating electric machine (46). To provide a system characterized in that the tether (44) is wound on a reel (42) and is provided for system recovery. The present invention further provides a method of operating a system that produces power from wind (50), a glider (10) of a system according to the invention, and the use of a glider (10) that produces power from wind.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

  The present invention relates to a system for producing electric power from wind power. The invention further relates to a method of operating a system for producing power from wind power. The invention also relates to a glider for a system that produces power from wind power, and the use of a glider that produces power from wind power.

  Producing power from wind power is generally accomplished by a wing or structure having an aerodynamic profile that generates lift when exposed to the wind. Thus, energy is extracted from wind that can be converted to electricity. This is done, for example, by searching for lift and driving the generator. Known wind turbines comprise, for example, a rotor with aerodynamically formed rotor blades, and the lift of the rotor blades causes the rotor to rotate. The rotor is attached to a generator provided at the top of the tower, for example, and produces electricity.

  It has been proposed to use airborne wings to explore wind energy resources at an altitude of several hundred meters above the ground. At this altitude, the average wind power is stronger and more regular because the wind power is not significantly impaired by interaction with the surface. These concepts are often referred to as aerial wind energy or aerial wind energy production.

  U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,034 B1 discloses a tether mooring kite that moves in a closed cycle. As the kite moves leeward, the kite is swept away by the wind and the tether is pulled out of a hoisting drum that is rotatably connected to the rotor of the generator. The rotor of the generator rotates and produces energy. The cycle ends when the kite moves upwind and returns to the starting point. Net energy is obtained when the energy generated when the kite moves downwind exceeds the energy required for the kite to return to the windward.

  One way to reduce energy consumption when returning to the windward is to generate a wind that will fly the kite to a high altitude when the movement in the leeward ends. The kite then moves upwind and descends. However, in this method, no energy is produced until the kite rises and returns, and the useless time is lengthened. Therefore, the overall energy yield is relatively low.

  Another method is to reduce the kite tension by the tether by changing the angle of attack of the kite or the equivalent support surface angle when the leeward movement ends. When the generator is switched to motor operation, the kite is pulled back. By reducing the tension in this way, the energy consumption is less than the energy previously produced during the leeward movement. Part of the energy produced here needs to be used for safety. This is because in order to fly the kite in a controllable manner, it is necessary to pull a certain amount of the tether.

  The fundamental problem of the present invention is that the power production by wind power using wings in the air, specifically the overall energy yield and / or operational safety, has been improved over the prior art described above. Is to provide electricity production.

  According to the present invention, this object is a system comprising a glider and producing electric power from the wind, the glider comprising wings and mounted operating means for pitching, rolling and yawing when the glider is in the air. A flight control means for maneuvering the steering means, and a tether connection means, the system further comprising a ground station, the ground station being a reel for the tether, a rotating electrical machine connected to the reel, and the reel and rotation Ground station control means for operating the electric machine, the system further comprises master control means for operating the system alternately in at least two operating modes, wherein the first operating mode of the system is a glider wing in the air. Using the lift generated when exposed to the wind, the tether is fed out and the resulting reel rotation The second operating mode of the system is equipped to wind up the tether on the reel by rotating the reel using the rotating electric machine and to recover the system. It is solved by the system characterized by being.

  The glider or sail plane according to the present invention is specifically a fixed wing aircraft, and the maneuvering means mounted on it is sufficient for the glider to fly around its own vertical, horizontal and vertical axes. Sex has been brought. According to the present invention, these three basic axes form a Cartesian coordinate system, with the origin of the coordinate system being defined at the center of gravity of the glider.

For straight and horizontal flight, generally the vertical axis is related to the direction of motion, the vertical axis is related to the direction of lift, and the horizontal axis is the horizontal axis that is essential to complete the Cartesian coordinate system. is there.
The glider includes, for example, a fuselage and a main wing, and the main wing constitutes or includes a wing. In such a configuration, the vertical axis is essentially parallel to the fuselage, the horizontal axis is parallel to the main wing, and the vertical axis is perpendicular to both the vertical and horizontal axes. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the glider may be other airplane shapes having a well-defined basic axis, such as a full wing aircraft.

  According to the present invention, rolling is that the glider rotates about its own vertical axis, pitching is that the glider rotates about its own horizontal axis, and yawing is that the glider is rotated about its vertical axis. It is to rotate.

  The glider steering means comprises a plurality of control surfaces for applying aerodynamic torque, for example, around one or more of the basic axes of the glider. These control surfaces include a plurality of so-called auxiliary wings for mainly causing rolling, a plurality of so-called elevators for mainly causing pitching, and a so-called rudder for mainly causing yawing. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other control aspects well known in aviation technology are also suitable for the steering means according to the present invention. Specifically, the control surface may cause rotation around any axis that does not correspond to any of the glider's basic axes.

  In addition to the control surface, the glider steering means further comprises a plurality of actuators that move the control surface, such as an electric motor or a hydraulic system having a pump and a cylinder. These actuators are driven by an on-board power source such as a battery.

  The glider has the advantages of low aerodynamic drag or drag and high aerodynamic lift. This is due to the fixed wing having a rigid aerodynamic profile or wing. This is particularly beneficial because it effectively depends on the lift and drag, specifically the ratio of lift to drag, to extract energy from the wind effectively.

  Since both the glider and the tether contribute to the overall drag, it is further preferred that the tether has a shape or structure optimized for drag. This may be, for example, a helical structure that has been found to have less resistance than a tether having a circular cross section.

  Another advantage of gliders is that glider flight is stable without applying a load to the tether, while the kite needs to pull the tether to some extent in order to fly stably. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to minimize the energy consumption without applying any load to the tether during the system recovery in the second operation mode.

  The glider's flight is controllable and stable, either alone or specifically when not connected to the ground. The glider can land safely even if the system fails, for example if the load on the generator reel is lost or if the tether breaks. The system according to the invention therefore provides a particularly effective and safe power production from wind energy.

  The flight control means includes a first flight control mode for automatic flight operation and a second flight control for manual operation, particularly for operation via a remote control device wired or wirelessly connected to the flight control means. It is preferable to provide a mode. For example, the first flight control mode provides automatic operation with optimal energy yield, and the second flight control mode is manual intervention during system maintenance and inspection as well as emergency intervention in case of failure. Allow. In this way, driving is simplified and driving safety is further enhanced.

  Another preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the system, in particular the glider, further comprises an airspeed sensor for measuring the airspeed of the glider. According to the present invention, airspeed is the speed or speed at which the glider moves relative to the surrounding air. The airspeed is generally different from the glider's ground speed, i.e., the glider's speed relative to the ground, especially because of the presence of wind. The airspeed sensor is preferably a direction sensor that provides both the magnitude and direction of the airspeed of the glider.

  Knowing the airspeed of the glider is especially beneficial to optimize flight control, specifically to maximize lift and average energy yield. In order to measure the airspeed most accurately, the airspeed sensor is preferably attached to the glider. Alternatively, the air speed sensor may be disposed on the tether, and the position of the air speed sensor in the tether is preferably close to the connection portion between the tether and the glider.

  In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the glider comprises a control device that combines both the glider flight control means and the master control means of the system. Thus, the connection between the flight control means and the master control means is physically particularly short and is robust and robust against distortions and failures. Specifically, rapid feedback can be established or established between flight operation, which is somewhat complicated and ultimately affected by rapidly changing wind conditions, and operation of the entire system.

  Another preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the system, in particular the ground station, further comprises a tension sensor for measuring the tension of the tether. Tether tension is a good indicator of overall system load and can be used, for example, as an input parameter for controlled delivery of the tether. The tension sensor is preferably installed in, for example, a ground station or incorporated in a tether and is preferably connected to ground station control means.

  The ground station control means is preferably configured to maintain a predetermined target tension of the tether, particularly when the tether is being extended. By doing so, it is possible to minimize the adverse effect of the load exerted on the glider via the tether on the glider flying behavior.

  The ground station control means is preferably configured to maintain a predetermined target reel speed, particularly when the tether is being wound. According to the present invention, the reel speed is related to the length of the tether that is wound or unwound at a predetermined time. Accordingly, the reel speed is particularly related to the rotation speed of the rotating reel.

  Maintaining a given reel speed is accomplished, for example, by maintaining a predetermined reel target rotational speed, but is very useful in reducing tether sagging when the lift or load on the tether is small. It is effective.

  More preferably, the tether comprises a transmission line and / or a data transmission path between the glider and the ground station. As described above, various systems of the glider such as the electronic device of the flight control means or the actuator of the flight control means are supplied with power from the ground. However, in case of an emergency, such as an electrical connection between the ground and the glider being broken, the glider may be equipped with a relatively low capacity power source that allows glider control and safe landing.

  The tether is preferably provided with a data transmission path for communication between the glider and the ground station, for example, between flight control means, ground station control means, and / or main control means. In addition, in place of, or instead of, an overlapping communication path may be realized by, for example, wireless transmission.

The subject of the present invention is also a method of operating a system for producing power from wind, the system comprising a glider connected to the tether and a ground station having a reel for the tether, Alternately operated in a first operation mode for production and a second operation mode for system recovery,
The first operation mode is
-Manipulating the glider along the first flight pattern and generating lift by the glider wings exposed to the wind;
-Pulling the tether by lift, feeding out the tether and rotating the reel;
-Converting the rotation of the reel into electric power, in particular by means of a rotating electrical machine connected to the reel,
The second operation mode is
-Manipulating the glider along the second flight pattern to reduce tether tension;
A solution comprising the step of winding the tether on a reel by rotating the reel, in particular using a rotating electrical machine connected to the reel.

  The overall energy yield, i.e. the amount of power produced in a certain time under a given wind condition, is the value when the lift generated by the wing is maximized in the first mode of operation and also in the second mode of operation. It is especially optimal when minimized. The energy yield increases further as the time taken to wind up the tether is shorter, i.e. when the system is operated in the second mode of operation and no power is produced at all.

  Due to the beneficial features of the glider described above, both aspects are optimized by the present invention. Specifically, the first flight pattern is enabled by the operability of the glider. Specifically, this is a high lift flight pattern in which the glider flies across the wind and lee of the ground station along a circular or figure-like channel. The highest lift is generally obtained when the glider performs crosswind flight at high speed.

  In the second flight pattern, specifically the low lift flight pattern, the glider is guided to descend, for example, towards a ground station. Here, the tether tension decreases and eventually becomes zero. In this way, a minimum amount of energy is consumed to rotate the reel, and no energy is required to pull the glider toward the ground station. At the same time, the speed at which the glider goes to the ground station is maximized, and the dead time, i.e., the time required for system recovery, is minimized.

  The tether payout is preferably controlled to maintain a predetermined tether target tension, particularly as a function of the airspeed of the glider. The airspeed of the glider is specifically the speed of the wing relative to the air and is therefore an indicator of the lift generated by the wing. The target tension need not be constant over time. For example, the airspeed is a vector quantity and has components of magnitude and direction, but the flight pattern course is switched by changing the angle between the glider flight direction and the wind direction depending on the airspeed. . The airspeed also changes depending on the change in wind conditions.

  Also, tether winding is preferably controlled to maintain a predetermined reel speed, which is predetermined as a function of the airspeed of the glider. However, the target reel speed may be predetermined from other observable changes, such as the ground speed of the glider.

  The underlying problem of the present invention is further a glider for a system for producing electric power from wind energy according to the present invention, wherein the glider has wings that generate lift when exposed to the wind, and when the glider is in the air. , Equipped with a mounted maneuvering means for pitching, rolling and yawing the glider, a flight control means for operating the maneuvering means, and a tether connection means, wherein the glider alternately operates the glider in at least two modes of operation. In order to solve the problem, a glider is provided that includes a mounted control device that combines a flight control means and a master control means.

  The subject of the invention is also the use of a glider that produces electric power from wind energy by the system according to the invention and / or by carrying out the method according to the invention, the glider being exposed to the wind. Wings that generate lift when driven, mounted onboard control means for pitching, rolling and yawing the glider when the glider is in the air, flight control means for operating the control means, and tether connection means, The glider is solved by the use of a glider characterized in particular by the glider described above.

  Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments according to the present invention, as well as from the claims and the attached drawings. Embodiments according to the present invention can implement individual features or combinations of features.

According to the present invention, the specific feature or the specific means is an arbitrary feature.
The present invention will be described below on the basis of exemplary embodiments without limiting the general intention of the invention. In the examples, reference is made clearly to the drawings for all details of the disclosure relating to the present invention not described in detail in the text. The figure is shown in the following form.

1 is a schematic diagram of a system according to the present invention. It is the schematic of the state which the operation | movement of the system by this invention exists in a 1st operation mode. It is the schematic of the state which operation | movement of the system by this invention exists in a 2nd operation mode. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating control of a system according to the present invention.

In the figure, identical or similar types of components, or corresponding parts, are given the same reference numbers so that the components need not be described again.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system for producing power from wind power according to the present invention.

  The onboard part of the system or the part that can be the onboard part comprises a glider 10 configured as a fixed wing aircraft in the embodiment shown in FIG. The glider 10 includes a fuselage body 12, a main wing 14, a tail wing 16, and control surfaces 20, 22, and 24. Also shown are a vertical axis 32, a horizontal axis 34, and a vertical axis 36, which contact at the center of gravity 30 of the glider and constitute a glider specific coordinate system.

  In the illustrated example, the fuselage 12 includes a tube made of a fiber-reinforced composite material as a mechanical backbone between the main wing 14 and the tail wing 16 and as a nacelle for electronic devices, power supplies, sensors, and the like. Is attached in front of the main wing 14.

  The main wing 14 may be composed of one wing as in the embodiment shown in FIG. However, alternative configurations, for example, with separate main wings 14 on either side of the fuselage 12, are within the scope of the present invention.

  During the flight, the glider 10 is guided by a control surface, which in this embodiment comprises an auxiliary wing 20 on both sides of the main wing 12 and an elevator 22 and a rudder on the tail 16. The control surfaces 20, 22, and 24 are surfaces that are used to generate torque by aerodynamic means around the basic shafts 32, 34, and 36 of the glider 10.

  Torque about the longitudinal axis 32 is generated by the aileron 20 that can be or can be operated simultaneously and in the opposite direction. Here, the opposite direction means that when the left auxiliary wing is moved upward with respect to the main wing 14, the right auxiliary wing is moved downward. As a result, the lift increases on the right side of the main wing 14 and decreases on the left side of the main wing 14 to generate torque around the vertical axis 32. The resulting movement of the glider 10 and rotation about the vertical axis 32 is called rolling.

  The rotation of the glider 10 about its own horizontal axis 34 is referred to as pitching, which is acquired by the elevator 22 used to increase or decrease the lift of the tail and generates torque about the horizontal axis 34.

The rotation of the glider 10 about its own vertical axis 36 is referred to as yawing, which is caused by the rudder 24.
The glider 10 is connected to the ground station 40 via the tether 44. The tether 44 is preferably attached to or connected to the glider 10 by connection means provided close to the center of gravity 30 of the glider 10. By doing so, the balance of the glider 10 in flight is not significantly impaired by a change in the load on the tether 44.

  In the ground station 40, the extra length of the tether 44 is accommodated in the reel 42 connected to the rotary electric machine 46. The rotating electrical machine 46 is connected to an electrical storage and / or distribution system (not shown) as a grid, a substation, or a bulk energy reservoir. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the power storage and / or distribution system may be any device or system capable of receiving and transmitting power to and from the rotating electrical machine.

  The system shown in FIG. 1 operates alternately in the first operation mode for producing the electric power shown in FIG. 2a and in the second operation mode for recovering the system shown in FIG. 2b. Is done.

  In the first mode of operation, specifically the energy production mode of operation, the glider 10 is steered along the high lift flight pattern indicated by line 52 leeward of the ground station 40. The wind direction is indicated by arrow 50. During crosswind flight, particularly at high speeds, each wing or main wing 14 of the glider 10 generates a lift that is much greater than the lift required to hold the glider 10 at a predetermined altitude. As a result, glider pulls tether 44, which correlates with excess lift.

  The tension of the tether 44 is used to feed the tether 44 from the reel 42 in the direction of arrow R and rotate the reel 42. The resulting torque is transmitted to a rotating electrical machine 46 where mechanical energy is converted to electrical power, although specifically depending on the diameter of the reel 42 and the force with which the tether 44 is pulled. Optionally, a gearbox is provided between the reel 42 and the rotating electrical machine 46, but is not shown for simplicity.

  For example, the load on the tether 44 and the glider 10 can be affected by controlling the rotational speed of the reel 42 and affecting the rotational speed by an adjustable reverse torque of the rotating electrical machine.

  As long as the tether 44 is extended, the glider 10 flies away from the ground station 40. Therefore, there is a limitation due to the total length of the tether 44 in order to maintain the system in the first operation mode.

According to the present invention, a second operating mode is provided for recovering the system, specifically for recovering the tether. This second mode of operation is illustrated in FIG.
In order to recover the tether 44, i.e., to wind the tether 44 onto the reel 42, the rotating electrical machine 46 is operated as a motor rather than a generator. The necessary power is supplied or carried by an electrical storage and / or distribution system.

  To minimize power consumption during system recovery, the glider 10 is operated along a low lift flight pattern indicated by dotted lines 54 to reduce tether 44 tension. The low-lift flight pattern 54 is, for example, that the glider 10 is lowered or suddenly lowered toward the ground station 40 against the wind 50. The low lift flight pattern 54 may also include causing the glider 10 to approach the ground station 40 without a loss of altitude, including a slight increase in altitude.

As the glider 10 approaches the ground station 40, the free length of the tether 44 is shortened and the tether 44 is wound on the reel 42 as indicated by arrow R '.
Make the tension of the tether 44 as small as possible to minimize the power consumption to wind up the tether 44 and make the tension of the tether 44 as fast as possible to waste time, i.e., the time when the system does not produce power. Is preferably minimized. These goals are preferably achieved by controlling the winding of the tether 44 and maintaining the target reel speed, which is specifically determined by the speed at which the glider 10 approaches the ground station 40. For example, the airspeed of the glider 10 may be used.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a control scheme for the system described above.
The control scheme provides a modular design for flight control means 64, ground station control means 66, and master control means 62.

  The flight control means 64 is configured to control and / or adjust devices and drives associated with the flight operation of the glider 10. This includes, but is not limited to, for example, the auxiliary wing 20, elevator 22, and rudder 24 of the glider 10.

  The flight control means 64 includes an algorithm and a feedback loop for automatic flight operation of the glider 10, for example. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are a plurality of suitable sensors connected to the flight control means 64 that determine and monitor the flight status. As an example, an airspeed sensor 18 is shown in FIG.

  The ground station control means 66 has the purpose of controlling and / or adjusting the components of the ground station 40, specifically the reel 42 and the rotating electrical machine 46. The conversion of mechanical energy into electrical power, i.e., the operation of the rotating electrical machine 46 as a generator, is controlled and / or controlled by the ground station control means 66, as is the winding of the tether 44, i.e., the operation of the rotating electrical machine 46 as a motor. Alternatively, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that it is adjusted.

  Both the flight control means 64 and the ground station control means 66 provide different movements specifically related to different operating modes of the system according to the invention. The operation mode of the system itself, specifically, the first operation mode for producing electric power and the second operation mode for system recovery are controlled and / or adjusted by the master control means 62. Specifically, the master control means 62 preferably includes an automatic determination device and a switching device between one operation mode and the other operation mode.

  As indicated by arrows in FIG. 3, the flight control means 64, the ground station control means 66, and the master control means 62 are connected to each other via a bidirectional communication line. Specifically, the flight control unit 64 and the ground station control unit 66 transmit the status information of the glider 10 or the ground station 40 to the master control unit 62, respectively. Conversely, the master control means 62 communicates the current operating mode of the system to both the flight control means 64 and the ground station control means 66, and the control and / or adjustment of the glider 10 and the ground station 40 is controlled by the flight control means 64 and This is performed independently by the ground station control means 66.

  The modular design of the control scheme shown in FIG. 3 ensures that the safety of operation of the glider 10 and ground station 40, which are typically hundreds of meters away, is such as signal delays, signal distortions, and communication line failures. It has the advantage of being guaranteed individually.

  Even if the master control means 62 is located close to either the flight control means 64 or the ground station control means 66, it is consistent with the modular approach. Specifically, it is preferable that both the master control means 62 and the flight control means 64 are attached to the glider 10, and specifically, may be combined into one control device.

  Ground station 40, and preferably ground station control means 66 physically located at or near ground station 40, are easily accessible for maintenance and inspection purposes, while air glider 10 is easily accessible. Can not. Therefore, it is preferable to be able to intervene in the control of the glider 10, specifically the flight control. For this purpose, the flight control means 64 permits external access to flight control, preferably via a remote control device 68 connected to the flight control means 64 via a wireless communication circuit.

  All characteristics with unique names, including those collected only from the figures, and individual characteristics disclosed in combination with other characteristics, either alone or in combination, are considered important to the present invention. ing. Embodiments according to the present invention can be realized by individual characteristics or by a combination of several characteristics.

[Explanation of symbols]
10 glider 12 fuselage 14 main wing 16 tail wing 18 airspeed sensor 20 auxiliary wing 22 elevator 24 direction rudder 30 center of gravity 32 vertical axis 34 horizontal axis 36 vertical axis 40 ground station 42 reel 44 tether 46 rotating electrical machine 48 tension sensor 50 wind 52 uplift Force flight pattern 54 Low lift flight pattern 62 Master control means 64 Flight control means 66 Ground station control means 68 Remote control device

Claims (13)

A system comprising a glider (10) and producing electricity from wind (50),
The glider (10) includes a wing (14), mounted steering means (20, 22, 24) for pitching, rolling and yawing when the glider (10) is in the air, and the steering means (20 , 22, 24) and flight control means (64) for operating the tether (44).
The system further comprises a ground station (40), the ground station (40) comprising a reel (42) for the tether (44), a rotating electrical machine (46) connected to the reel (42), Ground station control means (66) for operating the reel (42) and the rotating electrical machine (46),
The system further comprises master control means (62) for operating the system alternately in at least two operating modes,
The first mode of operation of the system is that the tether (44) is fed out using the lift generated when the wings (14) of the glider (10) in the air are exposed to the wind (50), thereby causing the From the rotation of the reel (42) to produce electric power using the rotating electrical machine (46),
In the second operation mode of the system, the reel (42) is rotated by using the rotating electric machine (46) to wind the tether (44) around the reel (42) to recover the system. A system characterized by being provided. The flight control means (64) includes a first flight control mode for automatic flight operation and a remote control device (68) for manual operation, in particular wired or wirelessly connected to the flight control means (64). The system of claim 1, wherein the system provides a second flight control mode for operation via the second flight control mode.
  System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the system, in particular the glider (10), further comprises an airspeed sensor (18) for measuring the airspeed of the glider (10).   The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the glider (10) comprises a control device that combines both the flight control means (64) and the master control means (62). .   5. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system, in particular the ground station (40), further comprises a tension sensor (48) for measuring the tension of the tether (44).   The ground station control means (66) is configured to maintain a predetermined target tension of the tether (44), particularly when the tether (44) is extended. 6. The system according to any one of 5 above.   The ground station control means (66) is configured to maintain a predetermined target reel speed, particularly when the tether (44) is being wound. The system according to item 1.   8. The tether (44) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the tether (44) comprises a transmission line and / or a data transmission path between the glider (10) and the ground station (40). The described system. A method of operating a system that produces power from wind (50),
The system comprises a glider (10) connected to a tether (44) and a ground station (40) having a reel (42) for the tether (44);
The system is alternately operated in a first operation mode for producing electric power and a second operation mode for performing system recovery,
The first operation mode is:
Operating the glider (10) along a first flight pattern (52) and generating lift by the blades (14) of the glider (10) exposed to the wind (50);
-Pulling the tether (44) by the lift, feeding the tether (44) and rotating the reel (42);
Converting the rotation of the reel (42) into electric power, in particular by means of a rotating electrical machine (46) connected to the reel (42),
The second operation mode is:
-Manipulating the glider (10) along a second flight pattern (54) to reduce the tension of the tether (44);
-Winding the tether (44) around the reel (42) by rotating the reel, particularly using the rotating electrical machine (46) connected to the reel (42). Feature method.   10. The delivery of the tether (44) is controlled to maintain a target tension of the tether (44) that is predetermined as a function of the airspeed of the glider (10). The method described in 1.   The winding of the tether (44) is controlled to maintain a target reel speed, which is predetermined as a function of the air speed of the glider (10), in particular. The method described. A system glider (10) according to any one of the preceding claims,
Wings (14) that generate lift when exposed to the wind (50) and mounted maneuvering means (20, 20) for pitching, rolling and yawing the glider (10) when the glider (10) is in the air 22, 24), flight control means (64) for operating the steering means (20, 22, 24), and connection means for the tether (44),
The glider (10) includes a mounted control device that combines the flight control means (64) and the master control means (62) to operate the system alternately in at least two operation modes. Glider. A glider that produces power from wind (50) by a system according to any one of claims 1-8 and / or by performing a method according to any one of claims 10-12. 10) use,
The glider (10) includes a wing (14) that generates lift when exposed to the wind (50), and a machine that pitches, rolls, and yaws the glider (10) when the glider (10) is in the air. A control means (20, 22, 24), a flight control means (64) for operating the control means (20, 22, 24), and a tether (44) connection means,
Use of a glider (10), characterized in that the glider (10) is in particular a glider (10) according to claim 12.

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